Boab Storage System

By Peter Dunhill, 10 Apr 2011Electronics & Gadgets

Roll up as we test a set of clever roller-drawers with removable storage boxes.

Roll up as we test a set of clever roller-drawers with removable storage boxes.

An important part of any 4X4 travel is the ability to stow all your gear in a safe and secure way, yet still allow quick access to specific items at roadside rest stops without having to unpack everything to make a brew.

The Boab unit recently fitted to our long-term Wrangler does exactly that, providing four handy, lockable ABS plastic Gomo tubs on slide-out steel frames that sit side-by-side with a fridge slide big enough to accommodate the largest of fridges available.

For a recent trip to outback NSW this arrangement allowed us to leave our usual gear bags in the shed and utilise each of the four tubs for a specific purpose.

Despite each tub measuring only 440mm x 320mm x 210mm, appearances can be deceptive. The four tubs swallowed a surprising amount of gear, with two assigned to clothing, another for towels, toiletries and the first aid kit, while the final container carried snacks.

I found this to be a great way to segment our supplies and it offered great benefits, especially if items from, say, the first aid kit were required in an emergency. The drawer and fridge slides are locked in place via a simple lever design and run smoothly on sealed bearing runners. One feature noticeably absent, though, was the ability to lock the slides in an open position as, unless you manage to park with this in mind, each would slide back in, especially the fully-loaded fridge.

An added convenience of the removable tubs is that you can easily carry your gear to the tent in its packed state.

The unit is well built (for us, by Ian and the guys at Opposite Lock in Brookvale, Sydney – 02 9939 5133), with the top deck finished with marine-grade carpet, and was a great addition and improvement to the Jeep’s cargo area.

It also gave peace of mind that there would be no cargo movement or need to re-secure any items after kilometres of rough or corrugated road. The whole set-up remained quiet and rattle-free throughout its ordeal.

Dolium also offers the larger Wolffpak drawers, and there are several other configurations available.

I’m pleased to say this unit worked well on its first real trip out of the city and I’m sure you’ll see further updates as it sees more action from the team.